Don Macrostie | Luthier

For the past 40 years I have studied how the mandolin works,
and have come to some realizations about how to control
their tone, and playability. A Red Diamond mandolin is essence of
all that study, truly for the discerning player.

Red Diamond Mandolins

Don MacRostie is Red Diamond Mandolins. The legendary 1732 Stradivarius, the “Red Diamond”, is the origin of the name.

The goal for me is to build legendary instruments. For the past 40 years I have studied how the mandolin works, and have come to some realizations about how to control their tone, and playability. A Red Diamond mandolin is essence of all that study, truly for the discerning player.

History

In the early 1980s Don began the work of converting an old building on his farm outside of Athens into today’s mandolin workshop.

Over the years he has worked with this space expanding it, acquiring equipment, and developing his personal techniques for creating handmade instruments. Three additions later that building is now a one-man production facility equipped with machinery and tools (many designed by Don himself) for every stage of mandolin building. There are on average about eight Red Diamond mandolins produced each year - each one created entirely by Don.